Sheet-steel enclosed switchgear assembly for outdoor erection



March 28, 1961 LATZKO SHEET-STEEL ENCLOSED SWITCHGEAR ASSEMBLY FOR OUTDQOR ERECTION Filed Dec 30, 1955 INVENTOR John Alexander Lafzfifo BY/f J 02% PwJw J ATTORNEYS United States Patent SHEET-STEEL ENCLOSED SWITCHGEAR ASSEM- BLY FOR OUTDOOR ERECTION John Alexander Latzko, Baden, Switzerland, assignor to Aktiengesellschaft Brown, Boveri 8: Cie., Baden, Switzerland Filed Dec. so, 1955, Ser. No. 556,741

Claims priority, application Australia Jan. 5, 1955 2 Claims. (Cl. 189-2) Switchgear assemblies 'for high and low voltages are frequently enclosed by sheet steel, a well-known manner of construction. Such metal clad switchgear assemblies are usually erected in buildings where they are not exposed to the weather. Occasionally, however, such assemblies have to be erected outdoors. This is possible only if the assembly is protected against influences of the weather; that means securely sealed ofl, an arrangement which can accomplished rather easily if the assembly so erected consists of a single enclosure or cubicle. However in case of assemblies containing several adjoining cubicles there are difliculties because the joints between the individual cubicles are not of water-tight construction. Proposals have been made to cover such assemblies by roofs such as is disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 556,739, filed December 30, 1955. Such roofs however can protect only the upper portions against rain water. The protection is insuflicient for the vertical joints.

Itis the aim of the invention to remedy this disadvantage by providing constructional components for such enclosed assemblies, that will serve simultaneously as a water-proofing strip for the joints and as frame and seal for the covering panels.

This is attained by the invention in this manner that the vertical joints, formed by adjoining cubicles, are covered by sheet metal which is bent into U-shape, the channel part of said metal sheet facing outside, and the lower end and, if necessary, the upper end also of said sheet metal is welded for additional water-proofing to a sheet metal which is bent into section iron shape, the U- shaped vertical sheet metal and the section-iron shaped horizontal sheet metal forming a flush stop for the panels which are to cover the individual cubicles.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation showing a plurality of switchgear cubicles arranged in side-by-side relation with weatherproofing paneling applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing in detail one corner portion of one of the cubicles and the weatherproofing paneling applied thereto;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 44 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section illustrating a modified embodiment of one of the weatherproofing elements.

With reference now to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a plurality of plane sided switchgear cubicles 1 which are 2 arranged in side-by-side' relation. The side walls la'of the cubicles have inturned flanges 1b along the front edges and the flanges 1b of adjacent cubicles are disposed in a common vertical plane. The junction lines between adjacent side walls 1a are to be weatherproofed and this is accomplished by covering these junction lines. In particular, a U-shaped channel member 2 extends vertically along and bridges the junction line between adjacent side walls 1a. The web portion 2a of this channel member is disposed adjacent the flange portions 1b of the cubicles and the flange portions 2b face outwardly. The channel members 2 extend from the top to the bottom of the cubicles. Angle members 3 are also provided and these extend horizontally at the top and bottom of the cubicles and are welded to the top and bottom ends of the channel members 2. Thus the horizontal flanges 3a of the top and bottom angle members which face outwardly together with the outwardly facing flange portions 2b of the U- shaped members establish a rectangular frame for each cubicle. Panels 4 having a peripheral inturned flange 4a, and being substantially the same size as that of the rectangular frame, are then secured in place to each frame such as by bolts 5, the peripheral flange 4a of the panel fitting over the horizontal flanges 3a of the top and bottom angle members and the flanges 2b of the U- shaped members. Packing material '6is placed between the peripheral flange 4a on the panel 4 and the frame. If desired, access to the front of the cubicles can be arranged by constructing the panels 4 as doors and fitting the hinges into the U-shaped members 2.

A slight modification of the U-shaped member is shown in Fig. 5. In this embodiment, the flange portions 7a of the U-shaped members 7 are bent inwardly at 7b so as to lie parallel to the web portion 70. The panels 4 are then secured to these flange portions 7b by means of bolts 8 and the packing 9 being inserted between the marginal portions of the panels 4 and the inturned flange portions 7b.

I claim:

1. A plurality of normally indoor switchgear sheet metal cubicles arranged for outdoor use comprising a plurality of said cubicles disposed in side-by-side relation, the front edges of the sidewalls of adjacent cubicles being disposed in a common vertical plane, and means for weatherproofing the vertical junction lines between the side walls of adjacent cubicles comprising a U-shaped channel member extending vertically along and bridging the junction between the front edges of said side walls of adjacent cubicles from the top to the bottom thereof, the flange portions of said U-shaped members facing outwardly and the web portions thereof being adjacent said front edges of adjacent side walls, angle members extending horizontally between and secured to the upper and lower ends of said U-shaped members, said angle members each having a horizontal flange portion facing outwardly, said outwardly facing flange portions of said angle members and said outwardly facing flange portions of said U-shaped members forming a rectangular frame for each cubicle, a panel covering each said frame, each said panel having an inturned peripheral flange fitting over said outwardly facing flange portions of said U-shaped members at opposite sides of the frame and fitting over said outwardly facing flange portions of said angle members at the top and bottom of the frame, and means securing v said panels to said frames.

2. An arrangement of switchgear cubicles as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer portions of the flanges of each of said U-shaped members are turned inwardly to lie 5 parallel with the web portions thereof and said panels are secured to said inwardly turned flange portions.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Whittredge Oct. 26, 1920 Brantferger May 31 1932 Bohnsack et al. May 22, 1934 Whelan Dec. 14, 1937 Weinland Jan. 31, 1939 Rutten et al. Mar. 21, 1939 Rubel Apr. 9, 1940 Lindsay Nov. 18, 1941 Reed et al Nov. 7, 1944 Fowler Mar. 13, 1956 Fitzgerald Apr. 17, 1956 TOney June 25, 1957 

